DORTMUND, Germany (AFP) - Harry Kane fired Tottenham Hotspur into the Champions League quarter-finals as his winning goal at Borussia Dortmund in Tuesday's (March 5) return leg sealed a 1-0 victory to wrap up a 4-0 aggregate success.
On Monday, Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino had demanded they "finish the job" after beating the Bundesliga leaders 3-0 in the first leg at Wembley.
His Spurs side delivered, soaking up everything Dortmund threw at them in a one-sided first half before Kane's goal just after the break killed off the hosts' spirited challenge.
"It's always difficult in these type of games, you don't know whether to defend or attack," said Kane, who singled out Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for praise after a string of key saves.
"They had a few moments. In that first half we needed everyone, defenders blocking it, Hugo saving it, that's what Champions League is about - you need everybody."
This is the first time Tottenham are in the last eight of the Champions League since 2010/11 when they bowed out 5-0 on aggregate to Real Madrid.
Needing to score at least three goals, Dortmund packed their line-up with forwards as Mario Goetze, Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer - who have scored 30 goals between them - all started together for the first time this season.
Dortmund flew out of the traps, pounding the Spurs defence with 10 attempts in the first half alone, restricting the Londoners to a single Son Heung-min effort, and enjoying 70 percent possession.
"We have showed that we have the quality, we can build on the first-half performance, but we need to score goals," said Dortmund captain Reus.
The Germans harassed Spurs at every opportunity and had two clear chances in the opening 25 minutes as Alcacer fired just over, while Lloris snaffled a stinging Reus shot at the second attempt.
Tottenham's first real chance came with half an hour gone when Son got in behind his marker Marius Wolf and fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
Lloris then pulled off two saves at point-blank range before palming Goetze's shot over the bar shortly before the break.
KANE LANDS FATAL BLOW
Having defended doggedly, Spurs took the lead when Kane scored with his first chance and only his team's second of the game.
His run split the hosts' centre-backs, as he latched onto Moussa Sissoko's pass and curled his shot past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki.
The video assistant referee confirmed Kane was on-side and his goal on 49 minutes subdued the crowd at Signal Iduna Park who had hoped for a miracle.
With the tempo having dropped, Spurs' Pochettino brought on Eric Dier, back from injury, to beef up the midfield in place of Harry Winks for the final 35 minutes.
Spurs seemed content to absorb Dortmund's attacks while countering on the few opportunities they had.
In a bid to boost flagging confidence, Dortmund head coach Lucien Favre brought on Chelsea-bound Christian Pulisic and Danish forward Jacob Bruun Larsen for the final half an hour.
With Reus tiring, unsurprisingly after four weeks out with a thigh injury, Thomas Delaney came on for the Dortmund skipper with 17 minutes left.
Sissoko attempted to win a late penalty and Kane put the ball into Dortmund's net but was flagged for offside as the game petered out and home fans started slipping away.
While Spurs go marching into the last eight, Dortmund can focus on trying to prevent Bayern Munich winning a seventh straight Bundesliga title with just goal difference currently separating the sides.
Chelsea boss Sarri demands more from 'individual' Hazard
Valencia eased into the semi-finals of the Europa League for the first time in five years with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to fellow Spanish side Villarreal in heavy rain on Thursday for a resounding 5-1 aggregate scoreline.
Valencia vs. Villarreal - Football Match Summary - April 18
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been hit with an Football Association charge for improper conduct following his side's loss at Burnley last weekend. Pochettino confronted referee Mike
Spurs boss Pochettino charged by FA with improper conduct
Jurgen Klopp said his Liverpool team could not have done anything more after they finished just one point behind defending champions Manchester City in their bid to win the Premier League title.
Klopp : Liverpool 'did all we could' in Premier League race
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have raised the bar in English football and thanked Liverpool for helping them come close to it once again. City will become the first defending champions to
Manchester City's Pep Guardiola rejects Jürgen Klopp's
Football: Spurs shine to hit Everton for six LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Tottenham Hotspur showed why manager Mauricio Pochettino is a wanted man by thrashing Everton 6-2 at Goodison Park on Sunday (Dec 23) to close to within six points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Football: Tottenham shine to hit Everton for six - Latest
PARIS (Reuters) - A rampant France smashed South Korea out of sight on Friday to open their women's soccer World Cup campaign in irrepressible style with a 4-0 victory that sent a warning to
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on December 16, 2018, with the headline 'Koscielny returns to plug gap at the back'. Print Edition | Subscribe.
Rob Holding injury: Arsenal defender ruled out for rest of
No room for complacency The latest reading of Philippine economic prospects by a credit rating agency and an economic research group is so positive that the opposition is likely to charge that the reports have been produced specifically to influence the May 13 elections in favor of administration candidates.
Quinnsights: No Room for Complacency in L&D | Learning
The investigation was triggered by European football's governing body in March. Man City appeal against possible Champions League ban. Man City appeal against possible Champions League ban.
Man City appeal possible Champions League ban
Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur to trigger Toby Alderweireld contract extension, says Mauricio Pochettino The move prevents Belgium international Alderweireld, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United by the British media, from leaving on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Spurs to trigger Alderweireld contract extension, says
Brighton seal FA Cup semi spot after beating Millwall on penalties The other semi-final will be contested between Watford and Wolves after Nuno Espirito Santo's men dumped Manchester United out of
FA Cup 2019: Manchester City set to face Watford in final at
0 comments:
Post a Comment